John Orlando Parry
| John Orlando Parry | |
|---|---|
John Orlando Parry
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| Born |
3 January 1810 London |
| Died | 20 February 1879 (aged 69) East Molesey, Surrey |
| Occupation | actor, pianist and singer |
| Years active | 1830–1877 |
| Spouse(s) | 1835 Anne Combe |
| Children | Maria |
| Parent(s) | John Parry |
John Orlando Parry (3 January 1810 – 20 February 1879) was an English actor, pianist, artist, comedian and singer.
Parry, the only son of Welsh musician John Parry (known as Bardd Alaw), was born in London and, at an early age, was taught by his father to sing and to play the harp and the piano. He also studied the harp under Robert Bochsa. As Master Parry, in May 1825, he appeared as a performer on the harp. As a baritone vocalist he made his début on 7 May 1830 at the Hanover Square Rooms, in London, on the occasion of Franz Cramer's concert, when he sang Handel's Arm, arm, ye brave! with much success.
Parry was also an illustrator and artist.
After receiving lessons from Sir George Smart in sacred and classical music, he was in demand as a singer at the Antient and Philharmonic concerts, and also at musical festivals in town and country. For him Sigismund Neukomm composed Napoleon's Midnight Review, and several other songs, but his best efforts were in simple ballads. In 1833 he visited Italy, and received instruction from Luigi Lablache at Naples, where he resided some time. At Posilippo he gave a concert in a theatre belonging to impresario Domenico Barbaja, the second part of which comprised a burlesque on Othello, Lablache taking the part of Brabantio; Calvarola, the Liston of Naples, playing the Moor; and Parry as Desdemona, dressed à la Madame Vestris, and singing Cherry Ripe. He also appeared before the king and queen of the Two Sicilies, and gave imitations of Lablache, Rubini, and Malibran in a mock Italian trio.
He returned to England in 1834, after perfecting his command of the Italian language. He married, on 30 June 1835, Anne Combe, the daughter of Henry Combe, a surgeon. They had a daughter, Maria. In July 1836 he gave his first benefit concert at the Hanover Square Rooms, when Malibran sang for him, and he joined her in Mazzinghi's duet When a little farm we keep. Persuaded to try the stage, he came out at the St. James's Theatre, just then built by his father's old friend, John Braham, on 29 September 1836, in a burletta called The Sham Prince, written and composed by his father. He was well received, and on 6 December in the same year he appeared in John Poole's Delicate Attentions, and in a burletta, The Village Coquettes, written by Charles Dickens, with music by John Hullah. Subsequently he was for a brief season at the Olympic Theatre. By 1839, Parry was becoming known as a comic singer, and in 1840 he composed a comic opera called Wanted, a Governess.
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